[Launch Alert] Sunday Vandenberg Launch

[Launch Alert]

                             LAUNCH ALERT
 		
                              Brian Webb
                     Ventura County, California
                  launch-alert-editor at earthlink.net
                        www.spacearchive.info
		       
                             2016 January 13 (Wednesday) 19:23 PST
----------------------------------------------------------------------

                   VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE

                     Launch
                   Time/Window
  Date              (PST/PDT)               Vehicle          Pad/Silo
--------        -----------------        -------------       --------

JAN 17          10:42:18                 Falcon 9            SLC-4E
Vehicle will launch the Jason 3 scientific satellite. SpaceX will
attempt to land the first stage on a ship in the Pacific Ocean.  

FEB 10          To be announced          Delta IV            SLC-6
Vehicle will launch the classified NROL-45 payload for the U.S.
National Reconnaissance Office. The liquid propellant first stage will
use two strap-on solid rocket motors.  

Mid-2016        To be announced          Minotaur C          SLC-576E
Vehicle will launch multiple SkySat earth observation satellites  

---             ---                      Atlas V             SLC-3
CANCELLED. The vehicle was to launch the InSight
lander and two prototype communications satellites to Mars for NASA.
Launch cancelled because a problem with a lander instrument could not
be repaired and tested before the end of the 2016 Mars launch
opportunity.  

The above schedule is a composite of unclassified information
approved for public release from government, industry, and other
sources. It represents the Editor's best effort to produce a schedule,
but may disagree with other sources. Details on military launches are
withheld until they are approved for public release. For official
information regarding Vandenberg AFB activities, go to
http://www.vandenberg.af.mil.

All launch dates and times are given in Pacific Time using a 24-hour
format similar to military time (midnight = 00:00, 1:00 p.m. = 13:00,
11:00 p.m. = 23:00, etc.). 

The dates and times in this schedule may not agree with those on other
online launch schedules, including the official Vandenberg AFB
schedule because different sources were used, the information was
interpreted differently, and the schedules were updated at different
times.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

                      SUNDAY VANDENBERG LAUNCH
 
A Falcon 9 booster carrying the Jason-3 oceanographic satellite is
scheduled for launch from Vandenberg AFB on Sunday morning, January
17. The Falcon is scheduled to lift-off at 10:42:18 PST, the start of
a 30-second launch window.

Following liftoff, the Falcon 9 will head towards the southeast and
carry Jason-3 into orbit.

Under very good conditions, the bright flame from the Falcon 9's
first stage could be visible to the unaided eye as far away as 100
miles. The launch visibility footprint could include Big Sur,
Bakersfield, Ventura County, Los Angeles County, and coastal Orange
County.

For the best view of the launch, use tripod-mounted or image-
stabilized binoculars, a spotting scope, or an astronomical telescope.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

                     LAUNCH AND COUNTDOWN STATUS

For launch and countdown status for the Falcon 9/Jason-3 launch,
consult the following sources:

   Web Sites with Countdown Status:

      http://spaceflightnow.com

   Webcasts:

      http://spaceflightnow.com

      http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/

   Satellite Feeds: None announced

   Twitter Updates:

      http://twitter.com/spaceflightnow/

      http://twitter.com/30thSpaceWing

      https://www.twitter.com/NASALSP

      https://twitter.com/NASAKennedy

      https://twitter.com/NASAJPL

      https://www.facebook.com/NASALSP

      https://www.facebook.com/NASAJPL

      https://www.facebook.com/NASAKennedy

----------------------------------------------------------------------

                              RESOURCES

For additional information related to the Falcon 9/Jason-3 launch, go
to the following locations:

   Launch Vehicle

      http://www.spacex.com/falcon9

      http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/falcon9.html

   Payload

      http://sealevel.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/jason3/

      http://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/jason-3/

   Launch Viewing

      www.spacearchive.info/vafbview.htm

   Photographing Launches

      www.spacearchive.info/vafbphoto.htm

   Weather Forecasts

      www.wrh.noaa.gov/lox/main.php?suite=public

      cleardarksky.com/csk

----------------------------------------------------------------------

                           SECURITY POLICY

Launch Alert does not intentionally publish sensitive, potentially
sensitive, or inside information. All information comes from open
sources or is approved for public release.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Copyright 2016, Brian Webb. All rights reserved. No portion of this
newsletter may be used without identifying Launch Alert as the
source and providing a functioning hyperlink or text that point to
http://www.spacearchive.info/newsletter.htm.